TUBERCULAR INVASION IN SWINE. 
653 
TUBERCULAR INVASION IN SWINE. 
By B. F. Kaupp, D. V. S., Kansas City, Mo. 
Read before the Missouri Valley Veterinary Medical Association at Kansas City, Mo., 
May 25, 1901. 
About a week or ten days ago I was asked by the Secretary 
of the association to prepare an article on tuberculosis, but in¬ 
formed him I was very busy and that that was too short notice. 
It was left for me to make an attempt, so will only try to bring 
out some practical points as they have presented themselves to 
me in post-mortem work during the past few years. It is need¬ 
less to say that tuberculosis affects every species of animal, in¬ 
cluding man, cattle, hogs, not so common in the horse, dog and 
sheep, frequently found in wild animals kept in confinement, 
whether they be meat-eating animals or not, and also found in 
birds and fish. It is an infectious disease produced by the bacillus 
tuberculosis. The disease has probably existed for ages, but 
not until 1882 was the microorganism producing it discovered 
by the noted scientist, Dr. Koch. It is a fine rod-shaped bacillus 
of an average length of 2-5 in. or nearly two-thirds the diam¬ 
eter of a red blood cell. It is easily cultivated in agar agar and 
other media at body temperature and is easily colored by aniline 
dyes. The reproduction of the bacillus is brought about by 
transverse segmentation ; they generate spores, which have a 
great resisting power to destructive influences. These spores 
may again produce the bacillus. I will not enter into a discus¬ 
sion of the structure of the tubercle, as that has been gone over 
so often, but will confine my paper more to the modes of infec¬ 
tion. We may see the disease manifest itself locally in the skin 
(lupus). It may invade the lungs (phthisis pulmonalis). In 
the serous membranes, as the pleura or peritoneum (pearly dis¬ 
ease). In the intestines and adjacent lymph ganglions (tabes 
mesenterica), etc. 
In man infection is understood to take place principally 
through the respiratory tract, although it may take place by 
ingestion of tubercular flesh and milk. 
